Up: Expressionistic cinema at its very best

Expressionistic cinema is always interesting since it manages to extend the boundaries of human imagination. Not only does it allow us to imagine our deepest wishes but also watch them as they are portrayed on the big screen. It also provides a simple breakaway from the monotonies of day-to-day life. Up is a film which joins the league of excellent expressionistic films. Being an animated film with an exception it manages to form a class of its own.

When an old man becomes a widower with the recent demise of his wife, he stumbles upon some of her photographs and is reminded of a promise he made to her in their youth. Acknowledging that he wasn’t able to fulfil her only wish during her life, he immediately takes it upon himself to fulfil his promise to her. Just as a demolition team arrives to take down his house he successfully gets the house airborne by tying it with innumerable balloons. His plan is to land the house upon a waterfall where his wife’s idol had once landed a hot air balloon. But the old man is unaware that there is a boy scout on board as the house takes off. Realising that the old man and his house are journeying to South America, the boy voices his opinion of wishing to see a rare creature which lives in the jungles there. The tale ensues as the old man and the boy try to fulfil their wishes while stumbling across many hurdles, helping each other out and finally succeeding in their missions.

The film was directed by Pete Docter and released in the year 2009. It was a production under the Pixar banner and features the brilliant animation they are known to have. The personification of the animated characters comes through perfectly which is something that has come to be expected of Pixar.

The storyline of the film is extraordinary since the key points in the plot are interesting events that are unimaginable without the right context. It is impossible to understand how an old man would be able to carry a house on his back or how the entire house could be lifted off its foundations in the first place, the film has dealt with it superbly by keeping a light-hearted tone throughout. The imagination which has gone into the making of the film clearly shows since the film is bursting with creative ideas.

The use of vibrant colours and many shades was very visually appealing. The most appealing element of the film is the innocence with which the characters are portrayed. Since it is a drama-comedy film and most of the characters come across as being fairly honest and innocent, the humour comes forth in the form of simplicity of the characters mostly. Being a film for family audiences it has been executed simply with no major need for a complicated story or execution.

It is a splendid animated film which sets a landmark for other animations since it has a simple story with an excellent portrayal. On the whole, Up is a fascinating film which has made use of light-hearted humour to portray relationships and imagination. It set a standard for a new way of thinking.

A Christmas Story: All I want for Christmas

If there was something you wanted more than anything else in the world, wouldn’t you try everything you could to get it? Especially if it was Christmas and you felt that you have been nice enough to deserve it! But as a child it becomes difficult to convince your parents to buy you that exciting toy you really want. Such is the case in the 1983 film A Christmas Story which was directed by Bob Clark.

Ralphie is a well behaved nine year old boy who has been a good kid all year long and wants only one thing for Christmas: a Red Ryder BB Gun with a compass in the stock and “this thing which tells time”. Unfortunately for Ralphie, he faces strong objection from everyone he tries to convince to get him the gun which includes his parents, his school teacher and even Santa Claus at the mall, and all this because they are afraid that he will shoot his eye out. Ralphie is adamant to have his Red Ryder BB Gun and tries his level best to convince his parents to get it for him by being a good kid in the days leading up to Christmas. Unfortunately for Ralphie, a few incidents involving his friends’ mischief, a run in with a couple of bullies and a handful of episodes where he is heard cursing dent his hopes of ever seeing his beloved Red Ryder BB Gun. Somehow Ralphie must try and rescue the situation if he is going to have his wish fulfilled this Christmas.

The film is riddled with creative styles in the execution. The film has been made to seem as a live-action cartoon film with the use of sound effects which are native to cartoon shows. There is also use of cutaways and transitions in the format that is witnessed in a cartoon show, thus lending to the intended style. There are many subplots in the main story which bring about comical effects for example Ralphie’s fathers winning of a lamp shaped like a leg which his mother disapproves of or the ‘triple dog dare’ which is known among Ralphie and his friends and eventually leads to one of his friends freezing his tongue to a lamppost. Overall, there are plenty of instances of comedic relief during the course of the film.

The film is considered a classic Christmas movie. The only problem which is always overlooked when it comes to this film is the reinforcement of materialism. The story portrays a child who is desperate to receive a desired present in the holiday season which unfortunately reiterates the idea that getting gifts are crucial for someone to be happy during the festive season. It is abysmal that a film which encourages materialism has been hailed as a great especially after it wipes out all the good work that other films and documentaries do in highlighting the idea of giving back to those in need which should be the true message sent out for the festive season.

Albeit the film has plenty of creative inputs and a unique style, a major problem with the film is that it lacks a good entertainment value; and a film doesn’t even need a good, deep message for that!

Teddy Bear: The pursuit of true love

Love can have different forms and everyone wants to be loved in some form or the other. Love is a versatile word as well which can apply to the relationship between a mother and child, between siblings, between friends and between spouses. Of all the instances when one feels loved, the love of a spouse or a partner is one of the most desired. Almost everyone is born into a family and receives love from their immediate relative but finding someone to spend a night or the rest of your life with means much more to people. This is the story of Teddy Bear, a 2012 first full length feature film for Danish director Mads Matthiesen.

Dennis is a 38 year old bodybuilder who lives with his mother. While it is seemingly difficult for Dennis to find a date under normal circumstances owing to his overbearing figure, he is also introverted and finds it difficult to express himself as he is shy. Additionally, his mother is an overprotective and needy woman who wants her son to be at her side at all times of the day which allows him no time to meet other people. Dennis has an enormous amount of respect and devotion to his mother which adds to his problem of not dating as he does not want to disappoint her by bringing another woman into the household. However, Dennis’ views on the matter are drastically changed as his uncle returns from Thailand with a wife. Dennis is encouraged to visit Thailand and find himself a suitable mate, just like his uncle, and finally decides to slacken the bond between himself and his mother in favour of an attempt at finding a relationship with a significant other.

The film is actually a sequel of a short film made in 2007 by Mads Matthiesen which was titled Dennis. The premise of Teddy Bear picks up from Dennis, starring the same cast of mother and son, as Dennis tries once again to find love in his life. The relationship of the two is maintained over the two films with the differences only resulting from the finally outcomes of Dennis’ decisions.

The simplicity of the film is where its brilliance lies. But often, the simplicity of the film leads to it becoming monotonous and uninteresting. Most audiences believe that they are able to relate to Dennis and his lack at finding love because of being introverted and having a possessive mother but the fact of the matter is the problem in Dennis’ life is rooted much deeper than being merely introverted. Dennis has low self esteem issues and his perception of himself in other people’s eyes leads to him being introverted. His mother and problems arising due to her constant needy and possessive nature as well as Dennis’ respect for her leads to additional problems. But the main problem is in the fact that most people won’t give Dennis a second glance as a suitable mate owing to his grotesque figure. Dennis’ life as a bodybuilder picks up reactions from many people which are untoward. Although he is respected in the bodybuilding fraternity, to the rest of the world he is perceived as a ‘freakishly large man’.

Most audiences believe that they can relate to the story for the wrong reasons. In retrospect, Teddy Bear may be a good account of the life of someone who is different and trying to fit in, but it is by no means a story that applies to everyone’s lives unless they imaginatively impose Dennis’ problems in their own lives. At best, one can compare situations and identify with Dennis but not to the extent as to claim that the problems are the same.

The film is a simple account with no great dramatic finale, just something that was long coming finally happening in the end. It is an above average film but not a terrible disappointment. It is a fair reflection in the life of someone who stands out and is trying to fit in.

Ice Age - Continental Drift: A pleasant break from life’s fast pace

It is important to remind ourselves to slow down every once in a while and enjoy life as we did when we were children. Life moves too quickly in modern times, so much so that we forget the little things in life which are important and which should matter more to us than the more tangible possessions we tend to care about. To break it down, reminding ourselves of the little children in all of us is important and sometimes being a little immature and childish may just be the best thing for the long run.

Manny, Diego and Sid get separated from Manny’s family, wife Ellie and daughter Peaches, when an unfortunate event leads to the continents breaking apart and beginning to drift away. Ellie, Peaches and the rest of their herd keep moving on land as Manny, Diego, Sid and Sid’s Granny are set adrift on an iceberg. The trio and Granny try their level best to make it back to the herd but all efforts are in vain as they encounter the forces of Nature followed by a group of fierce pirates on the vast waters of the ocean. Captain Gutt of the pirates gives them an ultimatum to join his crew or walk the plank but with other ideas in mind, Manny and Diego destroy the iceberg ship and slowly drift to shore with Sid, his Granny and the pirate first mate, a Sabertooth named Shira who becomes Diego’s love interest. In a desperate attempt to get back to his family, Manny hitches a plan to steal Captain Gutt’s ship which brings on the wrath of Gutt in a final showdown.

Also known as Ice Age 4, the film is just as its prequels; entertaining and suitable for all ages. The film is a pleasant break from the continuous bombardment of sex, violence and more which is witnessed in other commercial films. A children’s or family film, it is a good experience for anyone who is ready to leave behind their inhibitions of terming a children’s movie as being childish.

This film is nothing special; it’s just a nice reminder of what life used to be like when we were kids. This film, or any children’s film, should definitely be on everyone’s watch-list.

The Descendants: A simple story of a complicated life

Life is what happens while you’re busy making other plans. We never know what life has in store for us but we carry on living and hoping to move on the path that we set for ourselves. But sometimes we fail to realise the little things in life where we should be paying attention. Working hard and focusing on a job might guarantee a successful career but also results in the loss of a happy family life. This is exactly the case in the 2011 film The Descendants which was directed by Alexander Payne and stars George Clooney.

Matt King is a lawyer who works hard and spends most of the hours of the day in his office. He barely sees his family which results in his daughters being emotionally disjointed from him and causes his wife, Elizabeth, to take up dangerous sports to keep herself occupied. One such activity results in a boating accident which lands his wife in the hospital with a coma in a critical condition. Matt struggles to cope with this tragedy as he tries to bring his family and friends together and keep them wary of the fact that they may never see Elizabeth again. Matt is also a land baron of a huge family property which was passed down through many generations of his family who are native to the islands of Hawaii. Matt is tasked with the job of signing off on a deal that will take the property away from his extended family and into the hands of foreign investors, something which no Hawaiian wants to see happen. Matt must make some difficult decisions as he learns new truths about his wife and struggles to cope with her condition and the rest of his life.

The film moves at a slow pace as the story unfolds itself. The plot has an appeal which makes it seem like a real story that could happen to anyone. The film has many comedic moments. In spite of dealing with grave topics, the film has a light tone which allows the audience to relax every now and then. The humour is a blend of deadpan and black which is subtle throughout the film. The use of traditional Hawaiian style music adds to the feel of the film as well.

Although the film does come across as boring, if one sits down to watch it from start to finish, the film is quite a nice story of difficult decisions to be made in life.

Dumbo: When you see an elephant fly

No matter what age you may reach, you are never truly too old to enjoy cartoons. One of the reasons for this is that most cartoons are made as family movies which appeal to people of all age groups. Another reason is that animation helps portray certain scenes and ideas which would otherwise be inconvenient to perform in a normal live-action format. This is also the case with the 1941 animated classic Dumbo from Walt Disney.

As storks fly high above a circus and deliver babies to animals in their cages, an elephant by the name of Mrs Jumbo is displeased to not receive her little bundle of joy. As the circus packs up to move to another location, Mrs Jumbo is despondent but goes along nevertheless. En route the train journey, a stork finally comes along and delivers a little baby elephant to the expectant mother. Mrs Jumbo decides to name her newborn Jumbo Jr and showers her affection upon him. But what she is slow to realise is that Jumbo Jr has exceptionally large ears which form the base of ridicule that is cast upon him by other animals in the circus. The glares and lewd mocks are not spared even from the visitors to the circus, the other performers or the ringmaster. This leads to him being nicknamed Dumbo as a degrading remark about his large flapping ears and his clumsy nature. Dumbo is demoted to working as an extra in the routine performed by the clowns as his mother is locked up in solitary confinement in her bid to protect him. He must now prove his worth with the aid of his one and only friend, a mouse.

Dumbo is one of the many Walt Disney feature films which go down as classics in the genre of animation. In hindsight, the film shows plenty of angles of society in the time frame which it was made. The film shows the negative aspects of stereotyping and prejudice which is witnessed by Dumbo during the course of the film. It also shows how members of an elite society try to separate themselves from people they wouldn’t consider to fit the bill of their standards and how they wash their hands off issues that do not concern them which can be seen in the scorn shown by the other elephants towards Dumbo.

One of the few negative aspects of the film can be seen in a racial stereotyping which can be witnessed in a scene where the two main characters meet the crows. There is also a scene involving intoxication and hallucinations which does not seem to fit into the film especially considering the startling style in which the scene has been made and the fact that the film is primarily meant for family audiences.

The animation, the dialogues and the song performances in the film are stellar. There is good reason the film can be hailed as a classic for the ages. It ranks well in the must-watch category.

The Magic of Belle Isle: A family drama about imagination

Coming across inspiration isn’t easy. It is quite difficult to get inspired and come up with a piece of work which is sublime while we are troubled with everyday affairs that bring us down. It becomes difficult to carry on and quite often people try to move away from what they normally do to think out of the box and get creative ideas to supplement their work.

Monte Wildhorn is an accomplished writer who has lost his way with his gradually fading passion for writing. Years after his wife’s death, he still struggles to get on with life and copes by drowning his sorrows in alcohol with every chance he gets. It has resulted in him becoming sloppy in everyday life with a dwindled passion for his work. He moves into a small town called Belle Isle to gather himself and spark his imagination with a hope that he will be able to fuel his new writing project. Once settled, he is warmly greeted by his closest neighbours, a single mother and her three daughters. While Monte’s asocial tendencies make him uninviting to everyone in general, he finds a soft spot in the heart of the middle daughter, Finnegan, and decides to take her on as an apprentice to teach the art of imagination. He slowly finds his way back into writing and the hearts of the family as he warms up to life once again.

This film, directed by Rob Reiner and starring Morgan Freeman, is a family oriented story. It has its elements of comedy with intelligent dialogues from the protagonist and is a fair family drama overall. Morgan Freeman as the handicapped Monte Wildhorn is a good fit but produces no magic. As the story progresses, it delves more into a relationship between an old man and a young girl and fits into a cliché of how trying to help someone eventually leads to helping yourself; in this case the young girl helps the old man find his way in life. The slowly building love angle of the mother and the old man is quite appalling, especially considering her separation from her husband which has caused tension in her family which she is finding difficult to deal with. Overall, it’s a sloppy affair but just another Hollywood family script.

There may or may not have been potential for this film, but it doesn’t really show. It is a good option for a Sunday lunch with family, but no more than that.